The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback situation entering training camp was viewed as the worst in the National Football League. After weeks of practices and two preseason games, it appears a decision on who the Raiders starting QB will be in 2024 is imminent.
Las Vegas signaled it would be a two-man battle early in the offseason. Aidan O’Connell, the 135th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, would be the favorite. However, he faced significant competition from free-agent signing Gardner Minshew.
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Minshew, a fill-in starter for the Indianapolis Colts in 2023, is the highest-paid quarterback on the Raiders roster. Las Vegas signed him to a two-year, $25 million contract this offseason, providing him $15 million guaranteed at signing. It would be a legitimate battle to determine who is the Raiders starting quarterback.
Following Saturday’s preseason loss to the Dallas Cowboys, in which O’Connell and Minshew played a majority of the game, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce announced a decision is imminent. Pierce will name the Raiders starting quarterback for Week 1 in the next few days.
“We’ve seen enough reps, two games. Our guys are not playing in the third preseason game, our starters, so we’ll sleep on it and make a decision within the next couple days.”
Antonio Pierce on deciding who the Las Vegas Raiders starting QB will be
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Pierce and the Raiders coaching staff hoped either O’Connell or Minshew would stand out in the preseason. Instead, both players struggled just as much as they did during Raiders training camp against the defense. It’s forced Las Vegas to make a decision in a battle where there hasn’t been a winner.
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While the box scores for Minshew and O’Connell aren’t alarming, they only capture a glimpse of what happened in the preseason. While O’Connell showed more control in the offense and flashed better decision-making, his physical tools are extremely limited.
Minshew provides arm strength and mobility, but his decision-making is a significant problem and he is a much bigger threat to commit turnovers. For a team that relies on ball control and field position, that could give O’Connell the edge in the Raiders quarterback competition.
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In all likelihood, Minshew and O’Connell will both be the Raiders starting quarterback at various points this season. Unfortunately for Las Vegas, the situation it created could prove to be the biggest reason the Raiders don’t make the playoffs.